Modular pipe-shoe, pipe-support system

ABSTRACT

A modular system for supporting, on an underlying framework, and at plural pipe-underside locations, an elongate linear pipe. The system includes (a) for each such location, a shoe anchorable to the pipe&#39;s underside at that location, (b) for one pipe-underside location only, an anchor securable to the framework for receiving and anchoring the shoe, and thus the pipe also, at this one location, against any motion relative to the framework, and (c) for each other pipe-underside location, a guide securable to the framework for guidably receiving the adjacent shoe in a manner permitting it, and thus the pipe also, at this other location, solely reversible sliding motion relative to the framework along a line substantially paralleling the pipe&#39;s long axis.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/350,807, filed Jan. 15, 2012 which claims filing-date priority toU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/434,420, filed Jan. 19, 2011,for “Modular Pipe-Shoe, Pipe-Support System, Including Pipe-ShoeStructure, and Universal Anchors and Guides”. The complete disclosuresof each application are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentireties for all purposes.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to supporting, at distributed and spaced points,long lengths of pipe, and on an open, underlying framework, such as aframework of transversely extending I-beams, or I-beam-like structures,employing a system of plural, pipe-attached pipe shoes, place-fixingpipe anchors, and place-confining, but longitudinal relative motionaccommodating, pipe guides. More particularly, it pertains to a modularsystem featuring such shoes, anchors, and guides, and readilyaccommodating usage with pipes of differing diameters.

A preferred and best-mode embodiment of the system is specificallydisclosed herein in a setting featuring, as an underlying, supportingframework, an organized arrangement of conventional, elongate I-beamshaving the usual upright, central webs, and horizontal upper and lowerflanges. Accordingly all references herein which are made to I-beams andtheir conventional features, are so made with the understanding thatsuch I-beam, etc. terminology is to be given broad meaning so as toinclude various elongate I-beam-like, i.e., elongateI-beam-characteristic, supporting structures. Those skilled in the art,from a reading of the invention disclosure herein, along with a viewingof the accompanying drawings, will readily understand how to construct,for use in conjunction with the system of the present invention,appropriate supporting framework structures that have the convenient“I-beam-like” qualities.

There are many facilities and installations wherein, extending from onelocation to another, are long, typically straight-linear lengths of pipewhich require appropriate positionally stabilizing support provided in amanner on an underlying framework which does not inhibit a supportedpipe-length's understood “need” for the non-constraining accommodationof longitudinal extension and contraction due to ambient temperaturevariations. Preferably, to accomplish this, it is important that thestructural elements which are employed to establish the requisitelocations of positionally stable support on top of a supportingframework be relatively simple in construction, easily put in place,secure in their abilities to establish positional stability withoutinterfering with thermal expansion and contraction, and additionally,structured with a kind of “universal”, modular capability for handlingpipes of different diameters in a reasonable range of conventional pipediameters.

The modular system which is proposed by the present invention uniquely,and very satisfactorily, addresses these considerations.

According to a preferred and best-mode embodiment of the invention, whatis proposed is a modular system for supporting, on an underlyingframework, and at plural pipe-underside locations, an elongate linearpipe having a long axis. The system includes (a) for each such location,a modular pipe shoe anchorable to the pipe's underside at that location,(b) for one only of these locations, a modular anchor fixedly securableto the framework, and adapted, when so secured, to receive and fixedlyanchor the shoe, and thus the pipe also, at the one only location,against any motion relative to the framework, and (c) for each otherpipe-underside location, a modular guide fixedly securable to theframework, and adapted, when so secured, guidably to receive theparticular shoe disposed at such other location in a manner permittingit, and thus the pipe also, at this other location solely reversiblesliding motion relative to the framework along a line substantiallyparalleling the pipe's long axis.

A long pipe length supported through such modular-shoe, single-anchor,and plural-guide systemic components is well stabilized positionally,and though the single anchor point of pipe-length support cannot moverelative to the underlying, supporting frame work, the remainder of thepipe length can lengthen and shrink as needed to respond to ambientthermal variations.

Another way of expressing the invention is that it features a modularsystem for supporting, on plural, linearly spaced and distributed pointsof support furnished in an underlying framework, an elongate linear pipehaving an underside, and extending above the framework with its longaxis disposed linearly from support point to support point in theframework—this system including (1) for each support point, and adaptedto sit there on the framework, a modular pipe shoe anchored to thepipe's underside at an appropriate, selected location disposed along thelength of the pipe, (2) for one only of the support points, a modularanchor fixedly securable to the framework at that one only supportpoint, adapted, when so secured, fixedly to receive, and to lock againstany motion relative to the framework, as a locked shoe, the shoe whichis anchored to the relevant, associated pipe-underside location disposedalong the pipe's length, and (3) for each other support point, a modularguide fixedly securable to the framework at such other support point,adapted, when so secured, guidably to receive, as a guided shoe, theparticular shoe which is anchored to the relevantsuch-other-support-point-associated pipe-underside location disposedalong the pipe's length, and to capture that guided shoe in a mannerpermitting only reversible sliding movement of the guided shoe on top ofand relative to the framework along a line substantially paralleling thepipe's long axis.

As specifically illustrated and described herein, a length of pipe“handled” by the system of the invention derives underlying support froma framework formed with plural, elongate, laterally spaced, coplanar,parallel I-beams whose upper flanges occupy a substantially commonplane, with a supported pipe extending with its long axis substantiallynormal to the long axes of the I-beams. This common plane is preferably,though not necessarily, horizontal. The single, employed anchor, andeach of the plural, employed guides, includes clamping structure forsecuring and positionally stabilizing an associated pipe length at adifferent support point to the upper flange in a different I-beam in theunderlying framework.

Each shoe possesses a planar, rectangular base, or base plate, with aselected thickness, and laterally outwardly facing front, rear andlateral edges, and each clamping structure includes a pair of laterallyspaced, elongate clamping elements each adapted, during a condition ofsecurement of the respective, associated anchor or guide to an I-beamupper flange, to lie adjacent one of said shoe's edges. In a moreparticular sense, the clamping elements in an anchor are specificallyadapted to lie, one each, adjacent a shoe's front and rear edges andagainst the undersides of the opposite edges in an I-beam's upperflange, and the clamping elements in each guide are specifically adaptedto lie, one each, adjacent a shoe's lateral edges and in a conditionspanning the upper surface of an I-beam's upper flange between thoseedges. Additionally, the clamping-structure elements in each guide havethicknesses substantially matching the thickness of a shoe base, andinclude spaced confrontingly facing, parallel guide edges that areguidingly engageable with the lateral edges in a shoe base, and attachedto each guide's clamping-structure elements is a laterally projectingtab adapted to overlie the base of a shoe which is guidingly associatedwith the guide.

These and other features of the present invention will become more fullyapparent as the detailed description which follows below is read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified, schematic, fragmentary, isometric illustrationof a portion of a pipe-support installation including an underlying,supporting, I-beam framework, and employing, on top of this framework(which is not specifically a part of the present invention), and in itspreferred, and best-mode form, the pipe support modular system of thepresent invention pictured attaching lengths (long stretches) of three,elongate, generally horizontally disposed pipes on the tops of three,I-beam upper flanges in the framework.

Short lengths of dashed lines lying coincident with the long axes of thethree illustrated pipes—these lines being disposed adjacent the rightside of FIG. 1 as schematic, length-extensions of the pipes—picture, inan exaggerated fashion, and as will be explained below, a representativerange R of longitudinal expansion (extension) and contraction permittedthe three pipes. This range illustration is not drawn to scale. Theschematic representations of the three pipes presented fragmentarily insolid lines represent contracted states for the pipes, and thedashed-line “extensions” represent pipe expansions.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged-scale, isometric, fragmentary detail takengenerally in the area embraced by circularly curved arrow 2 in FIG. 1,illustrating, in solid lines, the structure of one configuration of amodular pipe shoe, and of a modular anchor, employed in the system ofthe invention as shown generally in FIG. 1, with this shoe pictured inFIG. 2 anchored in place atop the upper flange in one of the I-beamsupports illustrated in FIG. 1, such anchoring employing the mentionedmodular anchor which is constructed in accordance with the invention.

Isometric FIG. 3, a fragmentary view which is somewhat similar to FIG.2, is taken in the area embraced by circularly curved arrow 3 in FIG. 1,is drawn on essentially the same scale as that employed in FIG. 2, andillustrates, in solid lines, the same configuration of a modular pipeshoe which forms part of the present invention and which is similarlyshown in FIG. 2, stabilized in place, but allowed a certain amount oflongitudinal (thermal expansion/contraction) sliding motion relative to,a modular guide constructed in accordance with the invention, whichguide is shown anchored to the upper flange in another one of the I-beamunderlying supports pictured in FIG. 1.

As was just mentioned, FIGS. 2 and 3 each illustrates, in solid lines,the same-embodiment modular pipe-shoe configuration. This configurationis one which includes two, relatively closely spaced, parallel-planar,plate-like risers that stand up from a planar, rectangular base plate,to which they are joined, to support a range of relativelysmall-diameter pipes to the undersides of which, at longitudinallyspaced locations, they are attached as by welding. In dash-double-dotlines in these two figures, an alternative invention configuration forthis same pipe shoe is shown, with the risers in each such alternativeshoe of this configuration being somewhat taller, and more widely spacedon the associated base plate from which they stand. This shoeconfiguration is specifically designed to handle a different size-rangeof pipes having larger diameters.

As can be seen by relating FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the pipe shoes pictured inFIGS. 2 and 3 are attached to the same pipe.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary isometric views similar to, but larger inscale than, FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, and are drawn from the samereference-numeral “2/3” regions circled in FIG. 1. Looking at these twofigures in relation to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, they are seen to illustrate, infurther and larger detail, the FIG. 2 and the FIG. 3 anchor and guidepipe-shoe attachments that are made both to the underside of a commonlysupported pipe, and to the same pair of spaced, underlying, supportingI-beams' upper flanges that appear fragmentarily in FIGS. 2 and 3—suchI-beam flanges being shown fragmentarily here in dash-double-dot lines.FIGS. 4 and 5 each also picture, in dash-double-dot lines, fragments ofthe pipe to the underside of which, at two longitudinally spaced pointsof support, or locations, are attached, as by welding, the risers in theillustrated shoes.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are even larger-scale, fragmentary side elevations takengenerally along the lines 6-6 and 7-7, respectively, in FIGS. 4 and 5,respectively. FIG. 6 specifically further illustrates the modular anchorshown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and FIG. 7 specifically further pictures themodular guide of FIGS. 3 and 5.

FIG. 8 is a simplified, schematic, pipe-long-axial view illustrating,comparatively, five pipes, in a range of five different pipe diameters,with underside of each pipe shown joined to the top edges of the risersin the appropriate one of the two different pipe-shoe configurationsmentioned above in relation to the descriptions of FIGS. 2 and 3. Thetwo, adjacent pipes pictured on the left-hand side of this figure—thesmaller diameter pipes—are shown joined to the risers in the specificpipe-shoe configuration which is illustrated in solid lines in each ofFIGS. 2-7, inclusive. The three other pipes—larger in diameters—areshown joined to the risers in the alternative configuration pipe shoewhich is pictured in dash-double-dot lines in FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings and beginning with FIG. 1, indicatedgenerally and fragmentarily at 10 is a portion of a pipe-supportinstallation utilizing the modular system of the present invention tofurnish connection support for lengths of three, illustrated, elongate,straight-linear, steel pipes 12, 14, 16, having long axes 12 a, 14 a, 16a, respectively, shown by dash-dot lines. These pipe lengths are shownsupported, at what are referred to herein both as plural, pipe-undersidelocations, and as plural support points, such as the three suchlocations, or points, generally designated 12A, 12B, 12C for pipe 12, byan underlying, open support framework which is illustrated partially inFIG. 1 by a bracket 17. Framework 17 includes plural (three only areshown), spaced-apart, elongate and generally parallel, conventionalI-beams shown at 18, 20, 22 having long axes shown at 18A, 20A, 22A,respectively. In installation 10, pipes 12, 14, 16 extend inspaced-apart, parallel relationship, with their respective long axesdisposed at right angles to the respective long axes of the three,illustrated I-beams.

Pipes 12, 14, 16, each of which, along with each of the illustrated,supporting, underlying-framework I-beams, is shown only fragmentarilyand schematically in FIG. 1, are representative of pipes that extendover relatively long-distance, straight linear stretches between, forexample, spaced-apart buildings or other pipeline-associated facilities(not shown in the drawings). As has been mentioned above, and as willbecome fully apparent to those generally skilled in the art, pipes ofvarious different diameters are readily accommodated by the elements(components), shortly be described, that are included in the system ofthe present invention. In the particular illustration which is presentedin FIG. 1 herein, pipes 12, 14, 16 have a common, conventional-sizediameter of about 16-inches. It should be understood that while all ofthe pipes presented for discussion herein in installation 10 have arepresentative, common diameter, other installations might include amixture of pipes of different diameters. The modular characteristic ofthe present invention easily allows for this situation, notwithstandingthat slightly different pipe shoe configurations, i.e., riser spacingsin shoes, will probably be required to accommodate such a mix ofpipe-diameter sizes. Shoe base plates are always the same in size for agiven “system embodiment” of the invention, and all such base platesalways fit properly with the system anchors and guides.

The I-beams which make up framework 17, and here turn attention for amoment to FIGS. 2 and 3 which show portions of I-beams 18, 20,respectively, include the usual upright central webs, such as webs 18 a,20 a, and (herein) horizontal upper 18 b, 20 b, and lower 18 c, 20 c,flanges, respectively. While different installations employing I-beamsupporting frameworks may differ, in framework 17 the upper surfaces(not specifically labeled) of the upper I-beam flanges lie in asubstantially horizontal plane which is shown fragmentarily by adash-double-dot line 17 a in FIG. 1. The specific, distributed points ofsupport furnished by framework 17 for pipes 12, 14, 16 herein coincidewith the locations where the pipes and the I-beams intersect, such as atthe above-mentioned pipe-underside locations 12A, 12B, 12C.

Adding attention now to FIGS. 2-7, inclusive, along with FIG. 1, themodular system of the present invention includes three modularcomponents, preferably made of steel, including a pipe shoe, or shoe, apipe anchor, or anchor, and a pipe guide, or guide. In each of FIGS.2-7, inclusive, two solid-outline shoes of the same-configuration, butspecifically differently located, are shown generally at 24, 26. As willshortly be explained, shoe 24 is referred to herein as a locked shoe,and shoe 26 as a guided shoe. As mentioned earlier, each of these shoeshas the appropriate riser size and spacing for attachment to a 16-inchdiameter pipe, such as pipe 12. The earlier referred-to alternative,riser-size-associated shoe configuration seen in dash-double-dot outlinein FIGS. 2 and 3 are indicated at 24A, 26A in these two figures. InFIGS. 6 and 7, shoes 24, 26 are shown attached by welds 27 to theillustrated, adjacent pipe-underside locations in fragmentarily shownpipe 12. Shown generally at 28 in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, is an anchor fixedlysecured by clamping (which will be explained shortly) to the upperflange 18 b in I-beam 18. FIGS. 3, 5 and 7 illustrate, generally at 30,a modular guide, also referred to as a shoe guide, fixedly secured byclamping (which will also be explained shortly) to the upper flange 20 bin I-beam 20. Details of these three, different modular systemcomponents, including details of the elements which permit clamping ofan anchor and of a guide to an I-beam flange, will be described below.

At every point of pipe support which is furnished at the variouspipe-underside locations of and for pipes 12, 14, 16, a pipe shoe, suchas pipe shoes 24, 26, is anchored, as mentioned above by welding, to thepipe at that underside location. In installation 10, where, in FIG. 1,nine of these shoes are illustrated in a very small-scale manner, thesepipe shoes, where the three illustrated pipes extend over I-beam 18, arereceived and fixedly anchored by same-construction modular anchors 28.It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, with respect toeach elongate, straight-linear length of pipe, there will be only oneunderlying support point on an underlying supporting framework, such asframework 17, wherein an anchor module is employed. With respect to eachsupported pipe, this affixed and anchored pipe support-point location isreferred to the “one only” point of support where anchoring takes place,and a shoe located at that point is referred to herein as a locked shoe.These firmly anchored points of support non-movably stabilize theoverlying pipes at such points, permitting, of course, no relativemotion at that point between the immediately supported pipe undersidelocation and the supporting framework. It will also be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that, in very extensive pipe-support installations,where pipe angle structures, such as elbows, may be employed toaccomplish proper pipe routing, each straight-linear stretch, or length,of such a routed pipe will be furnished with such a “one only”affixed/anchored point of framework support.

At each other pipe-underside location of support, referred to herein asan “each other point of support”, the shoe associated with that point isreceived slidably within a same-construction modular guide 30. In theinstallation which is pictured in FIG. 1, these guided points of supportare those points of support where the three illustrated pipes intersectand lie over beams 20, 22. A shoe located at each of these guided,“other” points of support is referred to as a guided shoe, and such ashoe is permitted only a single-axis-direction (of the usual three,orthogonal axis-of-motion directions) of relative motion, and namelyrelative motion along the associated pipe's long axis, so as toaccommodate thermal expansion and contraction of that pipe dependingupon ambient temperature conditions (Refer to schematicallyillustrated/exaggerated expansion-contraction range R shown in FIG. 1).

Describing now in fuller detail the modular pipe shoe, pipe anchor andpipe guide structures which make up the system of the invention, andbeginning with the construction of a pipe shoe, this structure/componentwill be described specifically in relation to locked shoe 24 as seen inFIGS. 2, 4 and 6, recognizing that guided shoe 26, and all of the othershoes in installation 10, is(are) identical. While shoe construction,overall, is presented visually most completely in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, oneaspect of this construction, namely, a pattern of plural throughboresexisting in each shoe base, is best seen in FIG. 3 specifically in tothe illustration therein of shoe 26. Accordingly, a digression in shoedescription to shoe 26 as seen in FIG. 3 is made below at theappropriate point in the shoe-construction description.

Shoe 24 includes a flat, planar, rectangular base 32 having anappropriate thickness T (see FIG. 7), which might be about ½-inches, andlaterally outwardly facing front, 32 a, rear 32 b, and opposite lateral32 c, edges. Furnished in, and extending through, base 32, as a patterndisposed along its front and rear edges, as shown especially well inFIG. 3 for base 32 in shoe 26, are pre-drilled, nut-and-boltaccommodating throughbores, such as those pictured at 34. Thesethroughbores are relevant to clamping, or locking in place, of a shoevia a shoe anchor, to the upper flange in a I-beam in installation 10.Base 32 has welded to its upper face a pair of appropriately, laterallyspaced-apart upwardly extending, substantially parallel planar risers36.

As has been mentioned, and to some extent also suggested, above, thepipe shoe of this invention may be made essentially in the basic formjust described, but with alternative configurations involving differentspecific heights and lateral spacings of risers designed to accommodateattachment to the undersides of differently sized (diametered) elongatepipes (see alternate shoes 24A and 26A in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively),and may also be modified in an overall size manner to suit differentinstallation applications. Such overall size modifications will notaffect system modularity so long as the companion anchor and guidestructures are scaled to match—a task easily performed by one skilled inthe art.

Making another system-description digression here, and with attentiondirected for a moment specifically to FIG. 8, here, at I, II, III, IV,V, are shown five, representative, different-diameter-size pipes, to theundersides of which are attached (a) a shoe like shoes 24, 26 (pipes Iand II), and (b) a shoe like shoes 24A, 26A (pipes III, IV, V). Pipe IIis representative, in diameter size, of previously discussed pipes 12,14, 16 in installation 10.

Regarding the “footprint” size of base 32, this is certainly a matter ofuser choice, and will depend much on the nature of the intended,underlying, framework support structure. In installation 10, thedimension between the front and rear edges of base 32 is appropriatelychosen to be enough greater than the lateral dimension of the uppersurface in the upper flange of a “to-be-accommodated”, underlying,supporting-framework I-beam so that all throughbores 34 will beoutwardly clear of the opposite edges of such a flange. This conditionis illustrated in the drawings, and its reason is to furnishnut-and-bolt clear access for immobility-clamping by a shoe anchor of ashoe at its front and rear edges where that shoe is required to be in afixed/immovable condition at a particular location on such a flange. Thebase dimension between opposite, lateral edges 32 c herein isapproximately the same as that between the front and rear edges.

Anchor 28 includes two, identically-constructed portions, referred tocollectively as clamping structure, which portions are clearly pointedout in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6—these portions being employed along the oppositeedges of an I-beam's upper flange, such as upper flange 18 b in I-beam18, to clamp the front and rear edges 32 a, 32 b in a locked shoe, suchas in locked shoe 24 (see particularly FIGS. 2, 4 and 6), fixedly inplace on top of such a flange. Each of these anchor portions includes(a) an elongate clamping element 28 a, which is intended to sit beneaththe underside of an I-beam flange, in an appropriately overlappingfashion, so as to be drawn by clamping pressure against this underside,and (b) an appropriately sized and constructed spacer 28 b which iselongate, and disposed intermediate clamping element 28 a and theoutwardly extending front or rear lateral edge in a shoe, such as ispictured with respect to shoe 24 in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6. Spacer 28 b has athickness preferably just slightly less than the thickness of an I-beamflange so that appropriate clamping pressure may be developed by asuitably installed and tightened nut-and-bolt sets, such as those shownat 38, in which the bolt shanks extend through the throughbores,previously mentioned and designated at 34, in the front and rear lateraledges of a shoe, and through appropriately aligned throughbores (notspecifically shown) prepared in clamping element 28 a and in spacer 28b.

The dimensioning just stated for the thickness of spacer 28 b isrelevant to a spacer which is formed of a rigid material, such as steel,but it should be understood that other specific kinds of spacers, suchas an elastomeric spacer having a slightly greater thickness dimension,or even another kind of rigid-material spacer which may have a specialshape to accommodate the development of clamping pressure, may, ofcourse, be used.

Each shoe guide 30 also includes a pair of portions, referred tocollectively as clamping structure—these portions being clearlyillustrated as will now be described in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7. The shoeguides, and specifically the two “clamping” portions in each of theseguides, at the appropriate locations associated with an underlyingsupport framework, such as framework 17, in association with guided pipeshoes, become clamped along with those shoes in place to the upperflanges in the supporting I-beam(s). The “clamping-structure” portionsin each guide are there disposed adjacent the laterally opposite sides32 c in a shoe. Each guide “clamping” portion includes an elongateclamping element 30 a, and associated with that element (a) a pair ofspaced clamping plates 30 b, and for each clamping plate a spacer 30 c.Clamping element 30 a has a thickness generally matching, thoughpreferably just slightly greater than, previously mentioned thickness Tof a shoe base 32. Spacers 30 c have structuralmaterial-and-thickness-dimensional characteristics like those mentionedfor spacers 28 b.

Further included in each guide 30 are two laterally inwardly (toward oneanother) projecting tabs 30 d, one each longitudinally and generallycentrally attached to the top surface of a clamping element 30 a asshown.

As can be seen well in FIGS. 5 and 7, each guide, when properly clampedin place to guide a guided shoe, is so clamped through the tightening ofnut-and-bolt sets such as those shown at 40 for which there are providedappropriate, though not specifically shown and labeled, accommodatingthroughbores furnished in parts 30 a, 30 b, 30 c. A guide, when disposedproperly relative to a guided shoe, permits relative longitudinal,expansion/contraction motion the associated guided shoe, such as shoe26, while at the same time restraining all relative motion in the two,other, recognized orthogonal directions, namely in a lateral directionsubstantially paralleling the long axis of an underlying supportingI-beam, and vertically. Lateral-relative-motion restraint comes from thesides of clamping elements 30 a which slidably engage the oppositelateral edges in a shoe base, such as lateral edges 32 c, and verticalrelative-motion restraint comes from the shoe-base-overlappingundersides of tabs 30 d which slidably engage the upper surfaces of thelateral sides of a shoe base's adjacent lateral edges, such as edges 32c.

We claim:
 1. A pipe support system, comprising: a framework including afirst beam and a second beam, wherein each beam has an upright centralweb between a horizontal upper flange and a horizontal lower flange; alength of pipe arranged transverse to the beams; a first shoe and asecond shoe connected to the length of pipe and extending from thelength of pipe to the first beam and the second beam, respectively,wherein each shoe includes a base supported by and disposed on a topside of one of the horizontal upper flanges; an anchor mounted to thebase of the first shoe and firmly securing the first shoe to the firstbeam; and a guide mounted to the second beam and permitting the base ofthe second shoe to slide parallel to a long axis defined by the lengthof pipe while restricting vertical motion of the base of the second shoeaway from the second beam and also restricting horizontal motion of thebase of the second shoe orthogonal to the long axis defined by thelength of pipe; wherein each base includes a rectangular base plate,wherein the anchor includes a pair of elongated anchor brackets mountedto a first pair of opposite edge regions of the base plate of the firstshoe, wherein the first pair of opposite edge regions and the length ofeach elongated anchor bracket of said pair of elongated anchor bracketsare orthogonal to the long axis of the length of pipe, wherein the guideincludes a pair of elongated guide brackets mounted adjacent a secondpair of opposite edge regions of the base plate of the second shoe, andwherein the second pair of opposite edge regions and the length of eachelongated guide bracket of said pair of elongated guide brackets areparallel to the long axis of the length of pipe.
 2. The pipe supportsystem of claim 1, wherein each shoe includes a riser that extends fromthe base plate to the length of pipe and vertically spaces the baseplate from the length of pipe.
 3. The pipe support system of claim 1,wherein the base plate of the first shoe has a top surface opposite abottom surface and defines a first plurality of holes extending throughthe base plate between the top surface and the bottom surface, andwherein a bolt extends through each hole.
 4. The pipe support system ofclaim 3, wherein each hole of the first plurality of holes defines anaxis extending centrally through the hole and spaced from the firstbeam.
 5. The pipe support system of claim 3, wherein the base plate ofthe second shoe defines a second plurality of holes that correspond tothe first plurality of holes, and wherein each hole of the secondplurality of holes is unoccupied.
 6. The pipe support system of claim 3,wherein the first pair of opposite edge regions are spaced from oneanother on a line parallel to the long axis defined by the length ofpipe, and wherein the first plurality of holes include a distinct set ofholes arranged along each of the opposite edge regions of the first pairof opposite edge regions.
 7. The pipe support system of claim 1, whereinthe upper flange of the first beam has a pair of flange regionsextending in opposite directions from the upright central web, whereineach said elongated anchor bracket of said pair of elongated anchorbrackets forms a clamp with the base plate of the first shoe, andwherein the clamp secures the base plate of the first shoe to one of theflange regions.
 8. The pipe support system of claim 1, wherein the pairof elongated guide brackets are mounted separately to the second beam ata user-selectable spacing from one another.
 9. The pipe support systemof claim 8, wherein each said elongated guide bracket of the pair ofelongated guide brackets has a tab that projects over a top surface ofthe base plate of the second shoe and restricts vertical and rotationalmotion of such base plate away from the second beam.
 10. The pipesupport system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more other beamseach at least partially supporting the length of pipe, and, for eachsaid other beam, an additional shoe welded to the length of pipe andextending to the other beam and slidably associated with the other beamvia an additional guide mounted to the other beam.
 11. The pipe supportsystem of claim 1, wherein the pipe is welded to the shoes.
 12. A pipesupport system, comprising: a framework including a first beam and asecond beam, wherein each beam has an upright central web between ahorizontal upper flange and a horizontal lower flange; a length of pipearranged transverse to the first and second beams; a first shoe and asecond shoe connected to the pipe and extending downward from the pipeto the first beam and the second beam, respectively, wherein each shoeincludes a base resting on the upper flange of one of the first andsecond beams; an anchor mountable interchangeably to the base of thefirst shoe and the base of the second shoe to firmly secure either shoeto the beam on which such shoe rests; and a guide mountableinterchangeably to the first beam or the second beam to permit the baseresting on the first beam or the second beam to slide parallel to a longaxis defined by the length of pipe while restricting vertical motion ofsuch base away from the beam and horizontal motion of such baseorthogonal to the long axis defined by the length of pipe; wherein eachbase includes a rectangular base plate, wherein the anchor includes apair of elongated anchor brackets mounted to a first pair of oppositeedge regions of the base plate of the first shoe, wherein the first pairof opposite edge regions and the length of each elongated anchor bracketof said pair of elongated anchor brackets are orthogonal to the longaxis of the length of pipe, wherein the guide includes a pair ofelongated guide brackets mounted adjacent a second pair of opposite edgeregions of the base plate of the second shoe, and wherein the secondpair of opposite edge regions and the length of each elongated guidebracket of said pair of elongated guide brackets are parallel to thelong axis of the length of pipe.
 13. The pipe support system of claim12, wherein the base of the first shoe and the base of the second shoeare copies of one another.
 14. The pipe support system of claim 12,wherein each said shoe includes a riser that extends from the base plateto the length of pipe and vertically spaces the base plate from thelength of pipe.
 15. The pipe support system of claim 12, wherein thebase plate of the first shoe has a top surface opposite a bottom surfaceand defines a plurality of holes extending through the base platebetween the top surface and the bottom surface, and wherein theplurality of holes include a distinct set of holes arranged along eachedge region of the first pair of opposite edge regions.
 16. The pipesupport system of claim 12, wherein the upper flange has a pair offlange regions extending in opposite directions from the upright centralweb, and wherein each said elongated anchor bracket is adapted to form aclamp with the base plate of the first shoe to secure the base plate toone of the flange regions.
 17. The pipe support system of claim 12,wherein the pair of elongated guide brackets are mountable to each beamat a user-selectable spacing from one another.
 18. The pipe supportsystem of claim 17, wherein each elongated guide bracket of said pair ofelongated guide brackets has a tab adapted to overlie a top surface ofthe base plate of the second shoe and restrict vertical motion of thebase plate away from the second beam.
 19. The pipe support system ofclaim 12, further comprising: one or more other beams each at leastpartially supporting the length of pipe, and, for each said other beam,an additional shoe welded to the length of pipe and resting on saidother beam.
 20. The pipe support system of claim 12, wherein the pipe iswelded to the shoes.